California Proposition 65
In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address their growing concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. The legislation ensures that people are informed about exposure to chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or other reproductive harm. Commonly referred to as Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act requires businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals contained in the products they buy, located in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment. This allows them to make informed decisions about protecting themselves from exposure to these chemicals.
What requirements does Proposition 65 place on companies doing business in California?
Businesses are required to provide a "clear and reasonable" warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone to a listed chemical. This warning includes labeling a consumer product, posting signs at the workplace, distributing notices at a rental housing complex, or publishing notices in a newspaper. Once a chemical is listed, businesses have 12 months to comply with warning requirements.
California Proposition 65 List
Updated annually, the list contains a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. These chemicals include additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, dyes, or solvents. Listed chemicals may also be used in manufacturing and construction, or they may be byproducts of chemical processes, such as motor vehicle exhaust.
Many of the elements listed under Proposition 65 are commonly found in many products in the electronics industry. Lead is listed, and can be found in solder on circuit boards, cables, or other electronic assemblies. Bisphenol A (BPSA) is on the list and can be found in plastic housings, lenses, labels and adhesives. The PVC wire coatings on cables, housings, carrying cases, and power cords can contain DEHP (phthalates), also on the list.
More information is available at the Proposition 65 website.
Table of Some Proposition 65 materials that may be found in Adam Equipment products
| Material | Source | Proposition 65 chemical contained in material | Type of toxicity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sealed lead acid battery, Battery Posts, and Terminals | Inside sealed lead acid batteries | Lead | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Lithium-ion Batteries | Inside batteries | lithium-ion | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Plastic cases, product housing made from Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) | Finished plastic may contain residual amounts of these precursor chemicals | Styrene | Cancer |
| Acrylonitrile | Cancer | ||
| 1,3-Butadiene | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm | ||
| Plastic Cases, Product Housings, Packaging, and Packing Materials Made from Polycarbonate (PC) and Other Plastics, or Fiberglass | Finished plastic or packaging may contain residual amounts of the precursor chemicals | Bisphenol A (BPA) | Birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Case, control panels, or labels made from Polyester (PET) | Finished plastic may contain residual amounts of the precursor chemicals | Ethylene Glycol (ingested) | Birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Acetaldehyde (inhaled) | Cancer | ||
| Thermal paper with BPA coating | Coating on some thermal paper | Bisphenol A (BPA) | Birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Cables, wire assemblies and carry cases made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) | Finished plastic or products may contain residual amounts of the precursor chemicals | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| Lead | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm | ||
| Cadmium | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm | ||
| Metal cable glands and other fasteners that contain nickel | Finished material may be plated with the chemical | Nickel | Cancer |
| Rubber Feet and other accessories and products made with rubber | Finished rubber feet and accessories. | 2-mercaptobenzothiazole | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm |
| styrene butadiene rubber, | Cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm |